Controls Engineer (Automation)

General Motors; Bedford (IN); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

General Motors is seeking a Controls Engineer focused on industrial automation to support design, implementation, and maintenance of automated manufacturing systems. You will work with engineering, operations, and maintenance teams to ensure equipment safety, reliability, and production targets.

The role emphasizes hands-on experience with PLCs, HMIs, robots, drives, and plant-floor data systems, requiring strong problem solving and collaboration across functions.

Qualifications

• 2–3+ years in manufacturing automation roles with demonstrated success delivering controls/automation results.
• Experience with automation controls design, debugging, and implementation on production equipment.
• Strong communication and ability to work with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Support design, development, and commissioning of automation and controls solutions for manufacturing processes.
• Troubleshoot production equipment issues with root-cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Configure, program, and maintain PLCs, HMIs, robots, drives, and related control hardware/software.
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, maintenance, and quality to align on controls deliverables.

Skills

Automation engineering

PLC programming

Robot/drive systems

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical problem-solving

Plant floor monitoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

PLC

HMI

SCADA

DCS

Job description

At General Motors, our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human-centered design process, we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen, but to be felt. We’re turning today’s impossible into tomorrow’s standard —from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design, intelligent software, and next-generation safety and entertainment features.

Every day, our products move millions of peopleas we aim to makedriving safer, smarter, and more connected, shaping the future of transportation on a global scale.

The Role

We are seeking a Controls Engineer with a focus on industrial automation to support design, implementation, and support of automated manufacturing systems. In this role, you will work closely with engineering, operations, and maintenance teams to ensure equipment is safe, reliable, and capable of meeting production and quality targets.

This position is a good fit for controls engineers who have strong automation experience in manufacturing environments, even if they have not worked with our company or our specific standards before.

What You’ll Do

• Support the design, development, and commissioning of automation and controls solutions for new and existing manufacturing processes.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues on production equipment, performing root-cause analysis and implementing robust corrective actions.
• Configure, program, and maintain PLCs, HMIs, robots, drives, and related industrial control hardware and software.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners in engineering, operations, maintenance, and quality to align on controls deliverables and resolve issues.
• Maintain and improve plant floor systems such as production monitoring, and on alerting, data collection, and material call.
• Update and maintain documentation for electrical/controls designs, programs, and system changes to support long-term maintainability.
• Support safety, quality, and productivity improvements through controls changes, data analysis, and process optimization.
• Coordinate with external suppliers and integrators to ensure controls solutions meet functional, safety, and integration requirements.
• Participate in project planning activities, including defining scope, estimating effort, and tracking progress for controls-related work.

Required Qualifications – Your Skills & Abilities

• Experience in manufacturing engineering and/or plant-based automation roles (typically 2–3+ years) with demonstrated success delivering technical results in controls or automation.
• Strong engineering, critical thinking, and analytical skills with the ability to solve complex technical problems in a production environment.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate and align with cross-functional partners at all levels.
• Working knowledge of plant floor systems such as production monitoring and control, and on or alert systems, upload/download and compare tools, throughput monitoring, and material call or dispatch systems.
• Experience with tooling or automated manufacturing equipment and familiarity with commonly used industrial controls hardware and software platforms.
• Understanding of manufacturing processes and parts design, including applications using PLCs, industrial robot programming, and/or CNC equipment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical field, or equivalent relevant experience in industrial automation or controls.
• Hands-on experience with plant floor controls applications, including automation controls design, debug, and implementation on production equipment.
• Self-motivated, able to manage multiple priorities, and comfortable working both independently and within a team environment.
• Basic project coordination skills, including planning tasks, tracking progress, and identifying risks/issues with escalation as needed.

Preferred Qualifications – What Will Set You Apart

• Strong knowledge of manufacturing control systems and platforms related to controls architecture (for example, PLC/HMI/SCADA/DCS).
• Understanding of high-volume manufacturing processes in production shops and associated quality systems.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing-related information systems and plant-floor data collection tools (for example, MES, production monitoring).
• Experience with new product or process launches and how they integrate with manufacturing plants and plant floor systems.

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